Lift cover for domestic ranges



Nov. 2, 1943. H, H ING 2,333,199

LIFT COVER FOR DOMESTIC RANGES I Filed July 22, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 2,1943.

H. H. RING 2,333,199

LIFT COVER FOR DOMESTIC RANGES Filed July 22, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 41 I 24 21 39 F 4 Y 5 27 l MW: 4 g v i "3 2a @4 44! W 17- Patented Nov. 2, 1943- 2,333,199 I LIFT COVER FOR DOMESTIC RANGES Harold ILRing, Rockford, Ill., assignor to Geo.

D. Roper Corporation, Rockford, Ill., 2. corporation of Illinois Application July 22, 1940, Serial No. 346,771

. 16 Claims.

This invention relates to lift covers for the cooking tops of domestic ranges.

I am aware that lift covers of the two-section foldable type, with the sections foldable back to back, are well known, but nearly all of them have been of a type embodying spring means tending to move the cover toward folded vertical position and have been objectionable from the standpoint that the housewife in folding the cover was quite apt to have it pull out of her hands with sudden spring action, with resulting likelihood of damage to the range, and a further ob- Jection has been that the spring action often interfered with a. cover lying flat on the cooking top, there being invariably a noticeable difference in that respect between two companion lids on a cooking top, which, of course, detracted from the appearance of the range. It is, therefore, the principal object of my invention to provide a springless type of foldablelift cover, one which is foldable and unfoldable easily and will lie fiat on the cooking top in the unfolded .condition.

Another object is to provide a foldablc lift cover in which the folded cover has the rear section thereof hinged on the cooking top by limit type hinges, which prevent movement past 'a vertical position for support of the cover in that position, while the front section has the lower edge in the vertical position of said section resting in engagement with fibre bumper buttons on the stationary hinge members from which the edge portion cannot be disengaged without slight springing of the lid as a whole and also the hinges, so as to insure secure support of the folded cover in a vertical position, without extraneous and special spring means of any kind being provided for that purpose, although the housewife can readily unfold and lower the cover when that is desired.

The offsetting of the hinges at the rear of the cover givesa certain desired counterweight effect, which facilitates the moving of the rear section to the vertical position and supporting of the same in that position, while the offsetting of the hinges at the middle of the cover between the front and rear sections, with a certain amount of clearance left between the adjoining edge portions of the two sections in their unfolded relationship, facilitates the matter of lifting the front section at the commencement of the folding operation, the front section being swingable through a small angle independently of the rear section when the cover is lying flat on the cooking top so that one can take hold of the front section properly before attempting to lift the cover as a cordance with my invention, one being shown covering a portion of the cooking top and the other being shown folded to uncover the other portion of the cooking top; r

Fig. 2 is 'a plan of Fig. 1 with certain parts broken away to enable better illustration;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 on a larger scale, intermediate portions of the two cover sections being broken away to permit showing the cover on such a large scale;

Fig.4 is a section-on the line 4'4 of Fig. 1,

on a larger scale, with an intermediate portion of the two cover sections broken away to conserve space in the drawings;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, indicating the front section of the cover in a moved position relative to the rear section preparatory to lifting the cover;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail on the line of Fig. 2.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

While the invention has been disclosed as applied to a gas range, it need hardly be pointed out that it is suitable for use on different types of domestic ranges using electric heating elements or using fuels other than gas.

The reference numeral 8 is applied to the cooking top of the gas range 9 on which the foldable lift covers I0 of my invention are applied, foldable from a horizontal position over the burners II for concealment thereof, as shown at the left in Figs. 1 and 2, to a vertical position infront of the back rail l2 when the burners are to be used, as shown at the right in Figs. 1 and 2. Depressed portions l3 of the cooking top receive panels M in which depressions l5 are provided to accommodate utensil supports IS in concentric relation to the burners II. The depressed portions I3 of the cooking top provide places for fastening the stationary hinge members I! by their downwardly offset end portions l8, bolts l9 being entered through the parts to fasten the hinges in place. The hinge members I! project rearwardly from the openings in the cooking top and have laterally spaced knuckles 20 formed on the upwardly bent rear ends thereof. Pintles 2| are entered through the knuckles 20 of each of a pair of hinge members I! provided in connection with each of the covers Ill and are received in cooperating spaced knuckles 22 provided on other hinge members 23 fastened, as

by means of screws 24, to the rear edge portion of the rear section 25 of the cover. The front section of each cover is numbered 26. The hinge members 23, it will be noticed in Figs. 3 and 7, are -astened to 'the inner ce of the cover section so as not to be exposed when the cover is unfolded and resting on the cooking top, as in Fig.

3. The other section 26 of the cover conceals the hinge members 23 when the cover is folded, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7. The offsetting of the hinge members 23 to the inner face of the cover section 25 is also desirable from the standpoint that when the cover is raised and the section 25 is moved toward the vertical position of Figs. 4 and '7, it has substantially its entire mass behind a vertical plane through the pintles 2!, thereby holding the stop shoulders 21 on the knuckles 22 in engagement with the stop shoulders 26 on the knuckles 26, supporting the cover section securely in the vertical position, without the necessity for specialspring means tending to move the cover section to the vertical position and hold it-there. Furthermore thiscounterweighting of the cover section to move toward and stay in a vertical position by its own weight results in an easier and smoother operating structure and eliminates likelihood of the cover slipping from the housewife's hands as she moves the cover to the folded vertical position. Spring tensioned covers were objectionable in that regard, as previously pointed out, and the housewife had to exercise special care to avoid having the cover pull out of her hands under sudden spring action. With ordinary care there is no danger of damage to the present cover in its operation, whereas damage could easily result with the spring tensioned. covers unless the housewife exercised special care.

The cover section 26 is hingedly connected at its rear edge portion to the front edge portion of theother cover section 25, as shown at 26, two hinges 29 being provided in laterally spaced relation on each cover, with the one set of hinge members 36 fastened by screws 3| to the inner face of the cover section 25 and the other set' of hinge members 32 fastened by screws 33 to the inner face of the cover section 26, as clearly appears in Fig. 4. The adjacent edge portions of the cover sections 25 and 26 arein spaced parallel relation, as indicated at 34 in Figs. 2 and 3, when the cover is lying fiat on the cooking top with the bumper blocks 35 provided on the inner face of the cover section 26 at the four corners thereof, as indicatedin Fig. 2, resting on the cooking top. There is enough clearance between the front edge portion of the cover section 26 and the cooking top, as indicated at 36 in Fig. 3, so that one may easily raise the cover section 26 with his finger tips to the full line position of Fig. 5, to an acute angle relationship to the cover section 25, whereupon the cover section 26 can be grasped firmly and the whole cover can be lifted and folded as shown in Fig. 4. The front edge portion of the cover section 25. has two bumper pads 31 provided thereon in laterally spaced relation to prevent direct metal to metal engagement between the edge portions of the cover sections 25 and 26 in the folding and unfolding of the cover. After the rear cover section 25 has been moved back as far as it will go, as limited by the stops 21-28 on the rear hinges 20-22, and the cover section 25 is accordingly in the vertical position shown in Fig. 4, the front cover section 26 is swung downwardly on the hinges 29 toward the vertical position shown in Fig. 4, the folding movement of the cover section 26 being limited by the engagement of the two bumper blocks 35 provided on the front edge portion of the cover section 26 with seats 36 provided on the inner face of the rear cover section bumper blocks 36 mounted thereon in forwardly spaced relation to the pintles 2| and arranged to be engaged by the front edge portion of the front cover section 26 in the folded vertical position thereof, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7, whereby to prevent accidental movement of the cover from the folded vertical position, the blocks 39 being just high enough so that the cover sections and the hinge members i? have to be sprung slightly in moving the front edge portion of the cover section 26 into or out of position in engagement with the tops of these bumper blocks. In that way the cover section 26 is weighted resiliently on the blocks 36 when the cover is in folded vertical position and there is, therefore, no danger of the cover section sliding off the bumper blocks accidentally. No other detent means is required to hold the cover sections 25 and 26 in folded relationship, although, if desired, I may provide, as indicated at in and ii in Figs. 2 and 4, a registering detent' projection and recess or keeper therefor in which the detent projection may be entered releasably, these parts 'being on the front'edge portion of the front cover section 26 and on the rear edge portion of the rear cover section 25, as shown, and arranged to interfit in the folded position of the cover sections. 1 V

The bumper blocks 85, 2?, and. 39 are all preferably of fibre or other similar material suitable for the present purpose. The cover sections 25 and 2B are preferably both made from two sheet metal panels, only the outer panel of each section requiring porcelain enameling, inasmuch as the inner panel on each section is not exposed in either folded or. unfolded position. The hollow sheet metal construction makes the cover light enough to enable easy folding and unfolding. The fact that the hinge members if constitute the sole attaching means for the lift covers and are adapted to be secured to the cooking top in the manner herein disclosed makes it possible to provide lift covers on a. range or leave them off, accordingly as the customer desires, without detracting from the appearance of the range, there being no openings for bolts exposed to view when the lift covers are omitted.

Inoperation, it should be clear from an inspection of Fig. 1 that the foldable lift cover in folded position does not project above the top of the back rail i2 far enough to interfere with easy access to the condiment holders usually provided on a shelf 46 on the back rail, nor enough to interfere with the venting of products forwardly over the cooking top between the louvers 43 of the oven vent, the folded covers at'the same time serving as a splasher back for the cooking top.

in Fig. 7. The hinge members I! have other The shelf 44 preferably has a condiment holder retaining side rail thereon, as indicated at 42. For the sake of simplicity the top of the back rail I2 is shown plain in Fig. 2. In some instances an electric light is also carried on the back rail, and there again the desirability of having the lift cover folddown to a compact size so as not to interfere with good illumination is manifest. Then, too, in many cases the general appearance of the range was not nearly as attractive with the lift covers raised, whereas with the present foldable lift covers the range presents a neat and attractive appearance either way.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. In combination with an open cooking top having an upwardly projecting substantially vertical back rail therefor, and a shelf on the top of said back rail for condiment holders, a foldable two-piece lift cover for substantially completely covering said cooking top hinged at the rear edge of one piece in parallel relation to the back rail for swinging movement to and from a verticalposition in front of the back rail, the

two pieces ofthe cover being rectangular in form and hingedly connected at their adjoining longitudinal edges and being of identical dimensions so as to fold back to back with all edges substantially' flush with one another, said back rail being of a height nearly equal to the fore and aft dimension of either of the coverpieces, said cover pieces in folded vertical position having their upper longitudinal edges below the elevation of the back rail shelf so as to leave exposed toward the front of the cooking top the condiment holders.

2. In combination with a range having a cooking top portion and a back rail extending substantially verticallyfrom the rear portion thereof, a lift cover for said cooking top, comprising a pair of sheet metal bodies of generally rectangular form hingedly connected at adjoining longitudinal edge portions so as to be foldable toward one another in substantially parallel relationship, and hinge means for hingedly connecting one of said bodies at its opposite longitudinal edge portion to said cooking top portion comprising a member attached to and lying on top of the rear portion of the cooking top in front of the back rail, and another member attached to the adjoining longitudinal edge portions so as to be foldable toward one another in substantially parallel relationship, hinge means for hin edly connecting the rear body at its opposit longitudinal edge portion to said cooking top portion comprising a member attached to the rear portion of the cooking top and another member attached to the bottom face of the rear body, whereby in the folded vertical position of the latter the weight thereof is mostly'on the rear side of a vertical plane through the hinge axis relative to the cooking top, means for limiting pivotal movement of the rear body when the same reaches the substantially vertical position, the front one of said bodies in the folded vertical position of the bodies being disposed in front of the rear body, and means projecting upwardly with respect to the cooking top to engage the lower longitudinal edge portion of said forward body in the folded vertical position thereof releasably to support the folded cover against piv otal displacement forwardly from vertical posi tion.

4. In combination with a range having a cooking top portion, a lift cover for said cooking top,v

comprising a pair of sheet metal bodies of generally rectangular form hingedly connected at adjoining longitudinal edge portions so as to be foldable toward one another in substantially parallel relationship, hinge means for hingedly connecting the rear body at its opposite longitudinal edge portion to said cooking top portion comprising a member attached to the rear portion of the cooking top and another member attached to the bottom face of the rear cover body, whereby the same is adapted to be held under its own weight in a vertical position in front of the back rail, becaus in the folded virtical position of the cover the weight of the rear cover body is mostly on the rear side of a vertical plane through the hinge axis relative to the cooking top, and means for limiting pivotal movement of said rear cover body in a rearward direction when the same reaches a substantially vertical position, the front cover body being disposed in front of the rear cover body in the folded vertical position of said bodies and having its lower edge portion disposed in close relation to the cooking top so as to prevent forward pivotal displacement of said folded cover from vertical position.

5. In combination with a range having a cooking top portion, a lift cover for said cooking top, comprising a pair of sheet metal bodies of generally rectangular form hingedly connected at adjoining longitudinal edge portions so as .to be foldable toward one another in substantially parallel relationship; hinge means for hingedly connecting the rear body at its opposite longitudinal edge portion to said cooking top portion comprising a member attached to the rear portion of the cooking top and another member attached to the bottom face of the cover rear body, whereby the same is adapted to be held under its own weight in a vertical position in front of the back rail, because in the folded vertical position of the cover the weight of the rear cover body is mostly on the rear side of a vertical plane through the hinge axis relative to the cooking top, means for limiting pivotal movement of'said rear cover body in a rearward direction when the sam reaches a substantially vertical position, the front cover body being disposed in front of the rear cover body in the folded vertical position of said bodies and having its lower edge portion disposed in close relation to the cooking top so as to prevent forward pivotal displacement of said folded cover from vertical position, and means for releasabl locking the two cover bodies to one another in the folded relationship thereof. a

6. In combination with a range having a cooking top portion, a lift cover for said cooking top,

comprising a pair of sheet metal bodies of genadjoining longitudinal edge portions so as to be foldable toward one another in substantially parallel relationship, hinge means for hingedly connecting the rear body at its opposite longitudinal edge portion to said cooking top portion comprising a member attached to the rear portion of the cooking top and another member attached to the bottom face of the rear body, whereby in the folded vertical position of the latter the weight thereof is mostly on the rear side of a vertical plan through the hinge axis relative to the cooking top, means for limiting pivotal movement of said rear body in a rearward direction when the same reaches a substantially vertical position, the front body being disposed in of said folded cover from vertical position, and

one Or more bumpers projecting from the inner face of the front body and arranged to engage the cooking top in the unfolded horizontal position of said bodies to support th same in spaced relation to the cooking top, said bumper being nectingsaid otherlongitudinaI edge portion of the rear body to th rear'portion or the cooking top, the forward one of said bodies in the folded vertical position being disposed in front of the rear body with its lower edge portion in closely spaced relation to the cooking top, stop means for limiting rearward pivotal movement of the arranged in the folded vertical position of said bodies to engage surfaces providedtherefor on the inner face or the rear body so as to prevent contact between the inner faces of said bodies and space the bodies in substantially parallel relation to one another.

7. In combination with a range having a, cooking top portion, a lift cover for said cooking top, comprising a pair of sheet metal bodies of generally rectangular form hingedly connected at adjoining longitudinal edge portions so as to be pivotal movement of said rear body in a, rearward direction when the same reaches a substantially vertical positi-on,,the front body being disposed in front of the rear body in th folded vertical position of said bodies and having its lower edge portion disposed in close relation to the cooking top so as to prevent forward pivotal displacement of said folded cover from vertical position, the hinge means serving to support the rear dge portion of the rear body in vertically spaced relation to the cooking top in the horizontal unfolded position of said bodies, and

bumper means projecting from the inner face of the front body for engagement with the cooking top to support said body in vertically spaced relation to the cooking top in the unfolded horizontal position of said bodies, said bumper means in the folded vertical position ,of said bodies engaging the inner'face of the rear body to prevent contact between the bodies and space the bodies in substantially parallel relation.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7, wherein the bodies have their adjoining longitudinal edge portions in spaced substantially parallel relation in the unfolded horizontal position of said bodies over the cooking top, whereby the front body is free to be swung upwardly out of the horizontal plane through an acute angle relativ to the rear body, for the purpose described, the combination including bumper means on the longitudinal edge portion of one of said bodies for engagement with the longitudinal edge portion of the other of said bodies to limit said angular movement of the front body relative to the rear body.

9. In combination with a, range having a cookingtop portion, a lift cover for'said cooking top, comprising a pair of sheet metal bodies of generally rectangular form hingedl connected at adjoining longitudinal edge portions so as to be foldable toward one another in substantiall parallel relationship, hinge mean for hingedly confolded bodies relative to the cooking top,'and means frictionally engaging the lower edge portion of the forward body for preventing forward displacement of the folded bodies from the ver tical position and releasably holding the forward body in folded position, the forward body engaging said means resiliently under spring action inherent in the hinged foldable body assembly.

10. In combination with a range having a cooking top portion, a lift cover for said cooking top, comprising a pair of sheet metal bodies of gen erally rectangular form hingedly connected at adjoining longitudinal edge portions so as to be foldable toward one another in substantially par allel relationship, hinge means for hingedly connecting said other longitudinal edge portion of the rear body to the rear portion of the cooking top, the rear body having its mass so distributed relative to the hinging axis that when th body is swung upwardly to vertical position it tends to swing rearwardly relative to the hinge means,

means for limiting pivotal movement of said body to support the same in the vertical position, the forward one of said bodies in the folded vertical position being disposed in front of the rear body with its lower edge portion in closely spaced relation to the cooking top, and means frictionally engaging the lower edge portion of the forward body for preventing forward displacement of the folded bodies from the vertical position and releasably holding the forward body in folded position, the forward body engaging said mean resiliently under spring action inherent in the hinged foldable body assembly.

11. In combination with a rang having a cookmg top portion provided with burner openings in forwardly spaced relation to a back rail that extends substantially vertically from the rear portion thereof, whereby a ledge is defined on the cooking top in front of the back rail, a lift cover for said cooking top, comprising a pair of cover bodies of generally rectangular form hingedly connected at adjoining longitudinal edge portions so as to be foldable toward one another in substantially parallel relationship, hinge means for hingedly connecting the rear cover body at its opposite longitudinal edge portion to said cooking top portion comprising a member attached to the rear portion of the cooking top in one of the burner openings and extending rearwardly from the opening on top of th ledge in front of the back rail, and another member hinged to the rear end of the first member in front of the back rail and attached to the rear cover body. the cover being foldable to a. vertical position in front of and substantially parallel to the back rail Over the first mentioned hinge member and spaced to the rear of the burner openings in the cooking top.

12. For use with a range having a cooking top portion provided with burner openings in forwardly spaced relation to a back rail that extends substantially vertically from the rear portion thereof, whereby a ledge is defined on the cooking top in front of the back rail, the burner openings being defined by depressed portions of the cookcover in its elevated position laterally relative to 1 ing top adapted to receive cooking top panels, a foldabie cover attachment comprising a pair of cover bodies of generally rectangular form hingedly connected at adjoining longitudinal edge portions so as to be foldable toward one another in substantially parallel relationship, and binge means for hingedly connecting the rear cover body at its opposite longitudinal edge portion to the'cooking top portion comprising a member having a downwardly bent front end portion attachable to the rear portion of the cooking top in the vdepressed portion defining one of the burner openings, so that the member extends rearwardly from the opening on top of the ledge in front of the back rail, and another member hinged to the rear end of the first member and attached to the. rear cover body, the cover being foldable to a vertical position in front of and substantially parallel to the back rail over the first mentioned hinge member and spaced to the rear of the burner openings in the cooking top.

13. For use with a range having a cooking top portion provided with burner openings in forwardly spaced relation to a back rail that extends substantially vertically from the rear portion thereof, whereby a ledge is defined on the cooking top in front of the back rail, the burner openings being defined by depressed portions of the cooking top adapted to receive cooking top panels, a foldable cover attachment comprising a pair of cover bodies of generally rectangular form hingedly connected at adjoining longitudinal edge portions so as to be foldable toward one another in substantially parallel relationship, and hinge means for hingedly connecting the rear cover body at its opposite longitudinal edge portion to the cooking top'portion comprising a pair of pivotally connected hinge members, one of which is attached to the rear edge portion of the rear cover body and the other of which is relatively elongated in a substantially horizontal plane and has the pivot end thereof bent upwardly so as to elevate the cover in relation to the cooking top, the elongation of said hinge member serving to space the cover in its elevated position laterally relative to a burner opening in the cooking top in which the elongated hinge member is adapted to be attached, and the other end of said elongated hinge member being bent downwardly so as to provide a downwardly offset attaching portion attachable to the cooking top inthe burner opening.

14. For use with a range having a cooking top portion provided with burner openings in forwardly spaced relation to a back rail that extends substantially vertically from the rear portion thereof, whereby a ledge is defined on the cooking top in front of the back rail, the burner openings being defined by depressed portions of the cooking top adapted to receive cooking top panels, a foidable cover attachment comprising a pair of cover bodies of generally rectangular form hingedly connected at adjoining longitudinal edge portions so as to be foldable toward one another in substantially parallel relationship, and hinge means for hingedly connecting the rear cover body at its opposite longitudinal edge portion to the cooking top portion comprising a pair of pivotally connected hinge members. one of which is attached to the rear edge portion of the rear cover body and the other of which is relatively elongated in a substantially horizontal plane and has the pivot end thereof bent upwardly so as to elevate the cover-in relation to the cooking top, the elongation of said hinge member serving to space the a burner opening in the cooking top in which the elongated hinge member is adapted to be attached, and the other end of said elongated hinge member being bent downwardly so as to provide a downwardly offset attaching portion attachable to the cooking top in the burner opening, and means on the pivotally connected ends of said hingemembers for limiting pivotal movement through approximately ninety degrees so that the first mentioned hinge member is adapted to support the cover in substantially vertical position.

15. For use with a range having a cooking top portion provided with bur'ner openings in forwardly spaced relation to a back rail that extends substantialhr vertically from the rear portion thereof, whereby a ledge is defined on the cooking top in front of the back rail, the burner openings being defined by depressed portions of the cooking top adapted to receive cooking top panels. ,a foldable cover attachment comprising a pair of cover bodies of generally rectangular form hingedly connected at adjoining longitudinal edge portions so as to be foldable toward one another in substantially parallel relationship, and hinge means for hingedly connecting the rear cover body at its opposite longitudinal edge portion to the cooking top portion comprising a pair of pivotally connected hinge members, one of which is attached to the rear edge portion of the rear cover body and the other of which is relatively elongated in a substantially horizontal plane and has th pivot end thereof bent upwardly so as to elevate the cover in relation to the cooking top, the elongation of said hin e member serving to space the cover in its elevated position laterally relative to a burner opening in the cooking top in which the elongated hinge member is adapted to be attached, and the other end of said elongated hinge member being bent downwardly so as to providea downwardly offset attaching portion at tachable to the cooking top in the burner opening, means on the pivotally connected ends of said hinge members for limiting pivotal movement through approximately ninety degrees so that the first mentioned hinge member is adapted to support the cover in substantially vertical position, and upwardly projecting bumpers on the elongated hinge member in spaced relation to the upwardly bent pivot end arranged to be frictionally engaged by the lower edge portion of the front cover body in its folded position.

16. In combination with an open cooking top having an upwardly projecting substantially vertical back rail therefor, and means projecting upwardly from the top of said back rail providing an oven vent with deflectors for deflecting oven products forwardly over the cooking top, a foldable two-piece lift cover for substantially completely covering said cooking top hinged at the rear edge of one piece in parallel relation to the back rail for swinging movement to and from a vertical position in front of the back rail, the two pieces of the cover being rectangular in form and hingedly connected at their adjoining longitudinal edges and being of identical dimensions so as to fold back to back with all edges substantially flush with one another, said back rail being of a height nearly equal to the fore and aft dimension of either of the cover pieces, said cover pieces in folded vertical position having their upper longitudinal edges below the elevation of the back rail deflectors so as to leave said deflectors t ward the front of the cooking top. exposed o HAROLD H. RING. 

